Touch sensitive input and display arrangement for controlling and monitoring aircraft cabin systems

Abstract

A monitoring and control device includes a touch sensitive LCD screen, with a basic layout including a display area and touch sensitive keys depicted with associated system and function symbols. A main menu or any one of plural system menus can be selectively displayed in the display area. The system menus relate to cabin systems such as audio, lighting, and water systems. The selected system menu displays status information and touch input keys for the user to monitor the status and to select and control the operation of the system. The main menu is a top level window providing essential information regarding all of the cabin systems and allows a user to select any one of the system menus. The device is compact, user-friendly, and adaptable to various system requirements by mere software reprogramming. The displays and input keys are all virtual elements generated by software.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001]This application is based on and claims the priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Patent Applications 100 26 788.2, filed on May 31, 2000, and 101 00 273.4, filed on Jan. 4, 2001, the entire disclosures of which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to an apparatus for controlling and monitoring aircraft cabin systems, for example the functions of the information, audio, video, lighting, door, water supply, or wastewater systems, and further relates to a method for operating the apparatus.BACKGROUND INFORMATION[0003]The operation and status of present day aircraft cabin systems are typically controlled and monitored from operating devices having simple input key panels and relatively small liquid crystal displays. With such operating devices, the functionality of the display and of the input keys is quite limited, or even strictly fixed to a respective single assigned function. In other words, there is little or n...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]Thereby, any given portion or area of the basic layout is not strictly dedicated to a particular function, but instead the display and input functions can be variably indicated or arranged on the basic layout as needed. Moreover, a required change of the display and / or input functions to accommodate a change or difference in the respective aircraft cabin systems can be achieved by simply reprogramming the software that generates the various displays and input functions. Such universal adaptability is directly linked to the required flexibility. Furthermore, the inventive arrangement provides a single, compact, versatile operator interface that makes it possible to control and monitor all of the relevant aircraft cabin systems from this single compact unit.

[0014]The inventive operating device or operator interface provides the following advantages:

[0015]a) easy user recognition of known functions and processes or sequences;

[0018]d) by using a color display screen, it becomes possible to maintain a consistent color scheme or philosophy, i.e. using the same colors universally in connection with the same purpose, condition, status, or result to be achieved;

[0020]f) use of the fewest possible submenu planes for achieving a relatively flat hierarchy of the sub-menus or sub-windows.

Problems solved by technology

With such operating devices, the functionality of the display and of the input keys is quite limited, or even strictly fixed to a respective single assigned function.

In other words, there is little or no flexibility or adaptability of the present day conventional operating devices to accommodate changes of the respective cabin systems that are to be controlled or monitored.

Therefore, the technical possibilities with regard to the expansion, flexibility, and adaptation to the most modern technologies are completely exhausted.

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